Kefbigerator-door-opebating mechanism



May 21, 1929. 5, sTR|D 1,713,932

REFRIGERATOR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 24, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet1 F .j 1

May 21, 1929. s, J, 5mm 1,1 13932 REFRIGERATOR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISMFiled Dec. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly? Q Z7 O F295 D Patented May 21,1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SVEN J. STBID, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

W. H. MINER, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

REFRIGERATOR-DOOR-CPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed December 24, 1923.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerator door operatingmechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicientarrangement of door operating mechanism, especially adapted forrefrigerator cars for forcing the doors tightly closed, and which willalso be effective in starting the door opening operation. Y Morespecifically, the object of the invention is to provide a mechanism ofthe character indicated, especially designed for operating doors of theswinging type, including a rotary operating-shaft having means adaptedto engage fixed brackets on the car proper, wherein the shaft is somounted that it will shift in a plane at right angles to the door and isprovided with offset portions which function as door operating'crankmembers.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will more clearly appearfrom the de scription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a portion of a refrigerator car, showing myimprovements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical, sectionalview, partly broken away, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 ofFigure 1. Figures 3, 4 and 5 are horizontal, sectional views, on anenlarged scale, corresponding respectively to the lines 33, 4-4 and 55of Figure 1. And Figure 6 is a horizontal, sectional view taken alongthe lower edge of the doors, the doors being indicated in dotted linesand the right hand door being shown as partly closed.

In said drawings, the car is shown as provided with a door frame 10 andtwo pivoted doors 11 and 12, having meeting beveled edges, in the usualmanner. As is customary in refrigerator cars, insulation or packing isemployed between the meeting edges of the doors and door frame andbetween the meeting edges of the doors themselves. The doors 11 and 12are mounted to swing about vertical axes, being supported by suitablehinges 13. As is customary, the door lintel 14 is downwardlybeveled'an'd is provided with a longitudinally extending recess 15 inwhich is disposed a packing strip 16, normally yieldingly pressedoutwardly 'b'va series of coiled springs 17 The threshold 18 is providedwith the usual protecting plate19. I

Serial No. 682,509.

As shown, the improved door operating mechanism comprises, broadly, anoperating shaft A, provided with two end castings BB and an operatinghandle C;' upper and lower keepers D-D coacting with the castings G; andtwo pairs of upper and lower guide brackets E-E and F-F.

The operating shaft A is in the form of a flat bar of substantiallyrectangular cross section, having the handle or lever C pivoted theretoby a pin 20.

Thecastings B are disposed respectively at the upper and lower ends ofthe shaft A. Each of the castings B, as shown, is preferably in the formof a crank shaft, having spaced, alined, cylindrical portions 21 and 22and an intermediate offset portion 23. Each casting B is formed with ahead 24 at the outer end of the cylindrical portion 21, the head 24being vertically slotted as indicated at 25 to receive the correspondingend of the shaft A, to which it is fixed by rivets 26 or any othersuitable form of securing device's. At the opposite end of each castingB, centrally projecting from the bearing portion 22, is a flat lug 27 ofsubstantially rectangular cross section adapted to eoact with thecorresponding keeper D. AS clearly shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6, each lug27 isof greater width than the diameter of the portion 22, protrudingbeyond the opposite sides of the latter and is disposed in a planeoffset 90 from the plane of the offset bearing portion 23 of the crank.

'lhebrackets EE, which are of like cons struction, are respectivelymounted at the upper and lower ends of the door 11, at ljacent the freeedge thereof, that is, the edge innuediately adjacent the door 12 whenthe doors are closed. Each bracket E is provided with a pair of securingcars 28 bolted or otherwise fixedto the door. The main body portion ofeach bracket F projects outwardly from the door and is provided with anelongated guide opening 29 extending at right angles to the door 11.

The brackets FF are also of like construction and are mounted on thedoor 11 re spectively adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, beingdisposed between the brackets EE, one bracket F being closely adjacenteach bracket E. Each of the brackets F -F is also provided with a pairof securing ears 28 bolted or otherwise secured to the door. Thebracket-s F-F are horizontally disposed and the main body portion ofeach is proa!) a hand end of the openings as seen in Figure 1. Each ofthe guide openings 29 :is adapted to receive the cylindrical bearingportion 22 of the corresponding casting B for working nmvement therein.

The upper and lower keepers l), which are mounted on the door frameiml'nediately adjacent the door opening, are of substantially similarConstruction, each comprising a vertically disposed, plate-like portion31 by which it is bolted to the car. Each plate 31 is provided with anoutwardly projecting, horizontally disposed flange 32, the flange of theupper keeper being at the upper edge therof, and the flange of the lowerkeeper at the lower edge of the Same. Each keeper D is also providedwith a circular socket 233 adapted to receive the corresponding lug 27of the shaft A. Each of the sockets 33 is of very slightly greaterdiameter than the width of the lug 27, so that the latter may rotate inthe socket and yet be guided and retained thereby. The socket 325 ofeach keeper is defined by an annular wall 34, vertically slotted at theouter side as indicated at 35, to permit the lug 27 to be entered intothe socket. At the right hand side of the slot 35, as seen in Figures 5and (3, the wall 3 of each keeper is thickened as shown, therebyproviding a vertically disposed shoulder 36 extending parallel to theplane of the door, and adapted to act as a limiting stop for thecorresponding lug 27. The plate 31 of the lower keeper D is extended tothe left as seen in Figures 1 and 6, beyond the outer edge of the door11 and has pivotally mounted thereon a latch member 37 adapted to coactwith a plate 38 fixed to the door 12 adjacent the lower outer cornerthereof. The latch 38 serves to retain the door 12 in position whenclosed.

The handle C adapted to be locked, as show-n in Figure 1 by any suitablelocking device, as indicated at 39, and sealed in any suitable mannercustomary on railroad'cars. In operating my invention, the door l2willfirst be moved toclosed position and secured by the latch 37. The door11 is then swung inwardly, the shaft A being first moved to such aposition that the lugs 27 at the opposite ends of the same will bedisposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the door.Thisposition of the parts'is indicated in Figure 6. -When the partsla-rein the position shown; in Figure tithe bearing members 22 will be at theextreme inner ends of the guide openings 29 and the bearing members 23will be at the extreme left hand ends of the guide openings 30. V'Jhilethe door 11 is being moved toward closed position, the lugs 27 enter thesockets 33 through the openings 35. After the lugs have been engagedwithin the sockets, the sha tt A is rotated by swinging the handle C tothe left seen in Figures 1 and 6. During rotation of the shaft A, thelugs 27 will be engaged behind the walls 34: and retained and guidedthereby to rotate about a fixed axis. Upon rotation of the shaft A, thedoor 11 will be forced to tightly closed position by the crank-actingollset portions 23 which are limited to shift in a plane parallel to thedoor by engagement within the guides 30. During this time, the bearingportions will he guided for movement outwardly away from the door in aplane at right angles to the same, by the guideways 29 of the bracket;ll, the door being also shifted inwardly re ire to the axis of theshaft. Rotary movement of the shaft A will be limited when the door hasbeen fully closed by the flat side faces of the lugs-27 coming intoabutment with the respective shoulders 36, thus positively holding thedoor closed. The handle C is then locked by the device 36 and sealed inthe usual manner.

To open the door 11, the handle C is swung outwardly and to the right asseen in Figure 1, thereby rotating the shaft A in the reverse directionto that just described, the crankportions of the shaft A forcing thedoor outwardly, while theshaft shifts'inwardly relatively to the door.Rotation of theshaft A is continued until the lugs 27 again assume theposition shown in Figure 6 whereupon the door ll may be swung fullyopen, the lugs 27 passing out of the sockets 33 through the openings Ihave herein shown and. described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention but the same is merely illustrativeand Icontemplate all changes and mod iiications that come within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

i claim:

1. in a door operating mechanism, the combinat-ioi'l with a memberhaving a door opening and a pivoted door; of a rotary operating shaftmounted on said door for relative bodily shifti ig movement toward andfrom the same in a plane at right angles thereto a bearing element fixedto said member and with which the shaft is engageable to limit the shaftto rotation about a relatively fixed axis; and coacting operating meanson said shalt and door. I

2. In a door operating mechanism, the combination witha member having adoor opening and a pivoted door; of a rotary operating sea supported onsaid door, said shaft and door being relatively movable toward and fromeach other; means fixed on said mem- Lil ber engageable by said shaftfor preventing shifting of the axis thereof relatively to said means;and eccentric means on said shaft effective on rotation thereof foroperating the door in opening and closing directions.

3. In a refrigerator car, having a pivoted side door, the combinationwith an operating shaft rotatably mounted on said door, said shaft beingshiftable relatively to the door and provided with a crank portion; aguide on said door for limiting the movement of said crank in a planeparallel to the door; a second guide on the door for limiting theshifting movement of said shaft in a plane at an angle to the movementof the crank; and a keeper fixed to the car, said keeper beingengagcable with said shaft to maintain the axis the cot in relativelyfixed position.

4:. In a refrigerator car, the combination with a pivoted side door; ofa shaft rotatably mounted on said door and shiftable relatively theretoin a plane at an angle to the door, said shaft having a crank portioncoacting with the door; a lug on said shaft; and a keeper fixed to thecar, said keeper having a socket adapted to rotatably receive said lug.

5. In a refrigerator car, the combination with a pivoted side door; of ashaft rotatably mounted on said door and shiftable relatively thereto,said shaft having crank portions coacting with the door; axiallydisposed lugs on the opposite ends of said shaft; and keepers fixed tothe car at the upper and lower ends of the door opening, said keepersbeing adapted to rotatably receive said lugs.

6. In a refrigerator car, the combination with a pivoted side door; of ashaft rotatably mounted on said door and shiftable relatively toward andfrom the door, said shaft having a crank portion coacting with the door;an axially disposed lug on said shaft; and a keeper fixed to the car,said keeper being provided with a socket having an opening in thesidewall thereof to permit entrance of said lug.

7. In a refrigerator car, the combination with a pivoted side door; of ashaft rotatably mounted on said door and shiftable relatively thereto ina plane at right angles to the door, said shaft having a crank portionco acting with the door; an axially disposed lug on said shaft; and akeeper fixed to the car,

said keeper having a socket adapted to retatably receive said lug, saidsocket being provided with a limiting shoulder adapted to engage thelug.

8. In a door operating mechanism, the combination with a member having adoor opening and provided with a pivoted door; an operating elementcarried by the door and having an actuating portion projecting beyond anedge thereof; means for effecting rotation and movement of saidactuating portion in a direction toward and away from said door inastraight line path substantially at right angles to the plane definedby the face of said door; and keeper means mounted on said member andco-acting with said actuat ing portion to effect movement of said doorwhen said actuating portion is operated.

9. In a door operating mechanism, the combination with means providing adoor opening and having a pivoted door for closing said opening; anoperating shaft carried by the door and having an actuating portion;means eo-acting with said shaft for effecting combined rotation of saidactuating portion and movement of the latter in a straight line pathsubstantially at right angles to the plane defined by the face of thedoor, when said shaft is rotated; and a keeper mounted on said means andco-acting with said actuating portion to effect movement of said doorwhen said actuating portion is operated.

10. In a door operating mechanism, the combination with a member havinga door opening and a pivoted door; an operating shaft mounted on saiddoor and provided with an actuating portion; means for rotating saidshaft; eccentric means on said shaft; guide means co-operating with saideccentric means for guiding the actuating portion in a straight linepath substantially at right angles to the plane of the face of the doorwhile being rotated; and means mounted on said member and co-operatingwith said actuating portion of said shaft to effect movement of saiddoor when said actuating portion is operated.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 20th day of December 1923.

SVEN J. STRID.

